Happy Post election, U.S.A. It seems as if Americans are starting to come out of a fog, even if they aren't quite coming to their senses. If 100 monkeys on 100 typewriters can 'accidentally' write Shakespeare, can 100 monkeys in 100 suits 'accidentally' run the government as well as 'man'? This is the question that some of us face--deep down--on election day.
Of course I couldn't deny myself the spectacle which has become the American political process, even with my being on the other side of the planet.
I did have the luxury of not having to be submitted to the onslaught of political campaigning. I'll say that just reading the news about issues and candidates offers a much more pragmatic source of knowledge to inform my opinions than listening to news and media soundbites.
Just to be clear, I am neither Democrat, nor Republican, nor anything else. I'm a registered Independent voter and actually vote on issues and candidates based on researching them rather than blindly down party lines. The latter is not democracy it is stupidity and many people are guilty of it.
In saying this, I would vote for a Republican at the local level if I agreed with her/his stance on more things than other viable candidates, but I have yet to encounter one whose platform wasn't as steeped in social conservatism as it is in fiscal or bureaucratic conservatism. How can they speak of personal choice with one's own money, but then be hardline on issues with personal choice about one's own body? Personal choice is just that: personal.
BTW: I am pro-choice, but I am also pro-life...it is for no one person to judge another's actions. There is no clear line which can be drawn on this most personal and sensitive of issues. Both pro- and anti-abortion groups should stop trying to find that clear line and just focus on educating their communities on the variety of consequences (good, bad or otherwise) from making such choices and then let the individual choose.
Alrighty then, with that little stumping out of the way let me get to the real meat.
I thought about putting a picture of a Donkey kicking an Elephant on the top of the page:
or this one 
However I realized that while some people may feel this way, it doesn't capture what the spirit of this election was about.
The real effect was put into force by a) the American voter (as is usual) and b) the 'others'.
These pesky 'others'.
**(Note: This is all based off of official results that were presented at CNN. com and NOT on any of CNN's calls. The news is much more wary of doing this now.)
Otherwise Democrats won on such slim margins in many of the other races (the smallest I saw was 170 in Connecticut's 2nd) that it may have been more of a sign of loss in faith for Republicans than overwhelming support of Democrats. This seems to be the case when people are booted out of office.
I will say that this Republican run government has completely destroyed any lingering optimism that it is trying to do what's right for the American people and that seems fairly evident by these results.
Interestingly, when I was reading comments by people about their voting choices I was struck by two types of comments offered by Republicans:
For those who voted against their party: Generally they felt betrayed and even lied to. That the Republicans make a lot of fancy promises but haven't acted on them, EVEN with a completely Republican dominated government. Can we saying politicking?
For those who still voted Republican: Almost word-for-word uniformly that the Democrats had no game plan for anything and they didn't take the war on terror seriously (cut and run, to be specific). It was eerie to read such uniform thoughts. Can we say Stepford?
While I know they exist, it is hard for me to fathom that anyone who claimed to be a remotely informed or intelligent or even thoughtful American would still so blindly believe what they are fed through one or two news outlets (argh Fox news). I don't think the Democrats are anything special, but for godsakes, the Republicans don't poop diamonds.
This inability to produce the miracles through the mere shovelling of caca toward the American people is not limited to the Republicans, and we should all be vigilant about keeping the new powers accountable for their promises and the consequences of there actions.
The biggest surprise of all from this whole carnival was the sudden (albeit likely preplanned in-the-event-of) resignation of Rumsfeld. Oh, poor, poor Rummy. Allowed to do his best at doing his worst, the least that Bush could have done was let him go with some dignity. This didn't seem like the case at all. I won't be surprised if he (Rumsfeld) is called up for war crimes. Although I won't be surprised if he isn't either as U.S. politicians tend to be spineless about these matters when it comes to their own criminals. Yes, yes clap and cheer for the not-so-distant death of Saddam, but keep in mind their are a good many others just as deserving as he that DIDN'T sit as co-defendants. I wonder how they toasted themselves for being so clever while sitting comfortably in the States, and around the world.
But these are conversations for another day.
In the meanwhile, for those of you in the States reading this (citizens or not), you all should still be active in your daily lives to stay informed and vigilant of your politicians. It isn't right to 'wake up' once in 2 or even 4 years and say 'yeah that's right, down with the administration!' It's a slow and steady road to change or progress or consensus in anything. And what the majority of us won't do, trust me a few will always find the time to do for us and almost always in a way that we disagree with most the rest of us.
If you don't exercise your right to act, then you don't earn the privilege to complain.
Hopefully these two can get on the same page over the next few years.
Peace,
A Pink American
A Pink American
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